Tommy Broughan (Dublin North East, Labour)

I am relaying to the Minister the deep concerns I have heard from taxi workers in every part of the country - not just those represented by the Irish Taxi Council but also those represented by six or seven other bodies, including SIPTU. They all feel we need a coherent taxi service that is up to international standards and run in a different way. The continuous antagonism between taxi drivers and the regulator, as they see it, must end. We need a better service but one in which workers can earn a decent living. That is the reason people want the Minister to intervene.

It will be on the Minister's own head if there is further disruption in coming weeks, because people want to meet him to tell him about their concerns. There are almost 50,000 taxi drivers and more than 27,000 taxi plates. The situation has become chaotic and is out of control. We need a service that is well organised and also provides people with a good living.

See this speech in context